Electrical device mounting boxes

Abstract

An electrical device mounting box assembly includes an electrical device mounting box and a removable mud cover coupled to the electrical device mounting box via at least one living hinge. The living hinge may be severed by fatiguing the living hinge or by mechanical severance. The removable mud cover may includes a latch to maintain the removable mud cover in a closed position. A rear face of the removable mud cover, which faces a front opening of the electrical device mounting box when the removable mud cover is in a closed position, may includes a cavity configured to receive a face of an electrical device mounted in the electrical device mounting box when the removable mud cover is in a closed position. The removable mud cover may includes a narrow imprinter configured to imprint drywall when drywall is pressed against the narrow imprinter.

1. An electrical device mounting box assembly comprising:
 an electrical device mounting box configured for mounting within a wall such that a front opening of the electrical device mounting box extends into a planar covering on the wall; and 
 a removable mud cover integrally molded with the electrical device mounting box and attached to the electrical device mounting box through at least one living hinge on at least one side of the front opening, wherein the removable mud cover is configured to be removed after the planar covering is installed on the wall and mud is applied to the planar covering; 
 wherein the removable mud cover is selectively moveable between an open position in which the front opening of the electrical device mounting box is open and a closed position in which the front opening of the electrical device mounting box is covered by the removable mud cover. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one living hinge comprises a plurality of living hinges on the at least one side of the front opening. 
     
     
       3. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one living hinge is configured to undergo fatigue failure at less than 30 cycles. 
     
     
       4. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the removable mud cover is configured to remain in its closed position through a latch. 
     
     
       5. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the removable mud cover when moved to its closed position is configured to remain in its closed position through a latch comprising one of a first ridge and a first bulge on at least one side of the removable mud cover and one of a second ridge and a second bulge on a corresponding inner wall surface of the electrical device mounting box. 
     
     
       6. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , the removable mud cover comprising a front side and a rear side, the rear side facing the front opening of the electrical device mounting box when the removable mud cover is in its closed position, the rear side comprising a cavity sized to receive a face of an electrical device mounted in the electrical device mounting box when the removable mud cover is in its closed position. 
     
     
       7. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the removable mud cover further comprises a narrow imprinter extending outward from a front face of the removable mud cover, the narrow imprinter configured to form an impression on drywall when drywall is pressed against the narrow imprinter. 
     
     
       8. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the removable mud cover when moved to its closed position is configured to remain in its closed position through a latch comprising a first latch member on an outer side of the electrical device mounting box and a second latch member on a corresponding side of the removable mud cover, the first and second latch members being configured to latch together upon closure of the removable mud cover. 
     
     
       9. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the removable mud cover is further configured such that in a closed position it abuts against a front edge of the front opening of the electrical device mounting box but does not substantially touch an inner wall surface of the electrical device mounting box and does not substantially touch an outer wall surface of the electrical device mounting box. 
     
     
       10. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one living hinge is configured to fatigue upon reaching approximately a predetermined number of cycles of fully opening and closing the removable mud cover in relation to the electrical device mounting box. 
     
     
       11. A removable mud cover for insertion into an opening of an electrical device mounting box configured to mount within a wall such that a front opening of the electrical device mounting box extends into a planar covering on the wall, the removable mud cover integrally molded with the electrical device mounting box and attached to the electrical device mounting box through at least one living hinge on at least one side of the front opening, the removable mud cover configured to be removed after the planar covering is installed on the wall and mud is applied to the planar covering and further comprising a plurality of narrow imprinters, one at each of a plurality of boundaries of the removable mud cover, the plurality of narrow imprinters each extending outward from a front face of the removable mud cover, the narrow imprinters configured to form a plurality of impressions on drywall to identify the plurality of boundaries of the removable mud cover when drywall is pressed against the narrow imprinters. 
     
     
       12. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a latch comprising one of a ridge and a bulge on at least one side of the removable mud cover. 
     
     
       13. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 11 , the removable mud cover comprising a front side and a rear side, the rear side facing the front opening of the electrical device mounting box when the removable mud cover is in its closed position, the rear side comprising a cavity sized to receive a face of an electrical device mounted in the electrical device mounting box. 
     
     
       14. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the removable mud cover is further configured such that in a closed position it abuts against a front edge of the front opening of the electrical device mounting box but does not substantially touch an inner wall surface of the electrical device mounting box and does not substantially touch an outer wall surface of the electrical device mounting box. 
     
     
       15. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of narrow imprinters comprises a plurality of narrow imprinters located at or near the corners of the removable mud cover and extending substantially perpendicularly outward from the removable mud cover. 
     
     
       16. The electrical device mounting box assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one living hinge is configured to fatigue upon reaching approximately a predetermined number of cycles of fully opening and closing the removable mud cover in relation to the electrical device mounting box. 
     
     
       17. A method of using an electrical device mounting box assembly, comprising:
 installing an electrical device mounting box within a wall such that a front opening of the electrical device mounting box extends into a planar covering on the wall, the removable mud cover being integrally molded with the electrical device mounting box and attached to the electrical device mounting box through at least one living hinge on at least one side of the front opening, wherein the electrical device mounting box is configured to be removed after the planar covering is installed on the wall and mud is applied to the planar covering; 
 closing the removable mud cover from an open position, in which the front opening of the electrical device mounting box is open, to a closed position in which the front opening of the electrical device mounting box is covered by the removable mud cover; 
 selectively maintaining the removable mud cover in the closed position through a latch; and 
 removing the removable mud cover from the electrical device mounting box by breaking the at least one of living hinge to permanently remove the removable mud cover from attachment to the electrical device mounting box. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of breaking the at least one living hinge comprises fatiguing the at least one living hinge in less than 30 cycles. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of forming an impression on drywall by pressing the drywall against at least one narrow imprinter extending outward from a front face of the removable mud cover. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of breaking the at least one living hinge comprises fatiguing the at least one living hinge upon reaching approximately a predetermined number of cycles of opening and closing the removable mud cover. 
     
     
       21. A method of using an electrical device mounting box assembly, comprising:
 installing an electrical device mounting box within a wall such that a front opening of the electrical device mounting box extends into a planar covering on the wall, the electrical device mounting box integrally molded with the electrical device mounting box and attached to the electrical device mounting box through at least one living hinge on at least one side of the front opening, the electrical device mounting box configured to be removed after the planar covering is installed on the wall and mud is applied to the planar covering; 
 closing the removable mud cover from an open position, in which the front opening of the electrical device mounting box is open, to a closed position in which the front opening of the electrical device mounting box is covered by the removable mud cover; 
 identifying a plurality of locations on a back side of a drywall to be installed around the electrical device mounting box for where boundaries of the electrical device mounting box opening should be cut by forming a plurality of impressions on the back side of the drywall by pressing the back side of the drywall against a plurality of narrow imprinters extending outward from boundaries of a front face of the removable mud cover; and 
 permanently removing the removable mud cover from attachment to the electrical device mounting box by breaking the at least one living hinge. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein permanently removing the removable mud cover from attachment to the electrical device comprises fatiguing the living hinge upon reaching approximately a predetermined number of cycles of opening and closing the removable mud cover.